


Nature's Breath

by WeAreTheNight



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Goku and Vegeta fight, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, There's a talking tree, Vegeta is a sad boi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28519194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeAreTheNight/pseuds/WeAreTheNight
Relationships: Son Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	Nature's Breath

The only sound that broke the cool forest's silence was the heavy, trudging footsteps of a shadowed figure. The moonlight drained all color away from the world. It created an eerie air all around him. But moonlight was a comforting thing. It cooled and healed, offered a reprieve from the sun's scorching heat. A breathy sigh sent a puff of smoking warmth into the chilly air. He shouldn't have come out here. He never did well in the cold. But... he had to get away from... him. Even if only for a while.

_ Such heavy, cold thoughts for such a young soul. _

The man who now crept dejectedly through the frosted wood looked around. "Who's there?"

There was a moment of silence.  _ I... do not have a name. What is yours, little soul? _

He moved back against an ancient oak, whose long, spiraling branches eased even above the younger, stronger trees. "I... I am called Vegeta," he replied softly to the empty air. "Where are you?"

_ Just here, _ the voice breathed.  _ I mean you no ill will, little soul. _ A shaky, weak breath, like an old man struggling to fill his lungs with precious air, was heard almost right behind Vegeta. But- nonsense, the only thing behind him was the tree.  _ It is cold, young soul. Too cold for your kind. Here. Come inside. _

"Inside?" Vegeta asked under his breath in confusion. Then he saw an opening leading into the tree. "Oh. Oh, are you in-?" He looked inside, and his keen eyes caught only the empty space. "... here."

_ It is much warmer out of the wind, isn't it? _ The voice's strength originated from just over his head. Vegeta looked up and saw only the darkness. He didn't dare light any ki, for the tree was so old that he feared it would go up in flames from even a small amount of energy.  _ Come. Relax. _

Vegeta slowly entered and say down on the hard ground. It was warmer here... He curled up against the wall. "So... if you don't have a name, might I ask what you are?"

_ I am... this soul. Many ages ago, when the whole world was all but new, my soul entered this life form. Oh, in those days it was fresh and green... And now I struggle to bear a single leaf when the season turns. _

It slowly began to dawn upon the Saiyan what the voice meant. "You... You're this, this tree?" he gasped, reaching to gently touch the worn interior.

_ Yes, little soul. It... does feel good to have some contact with a live spirit once more. _

"What do you mean?" Vegeta asked.

_ That is a long tale. _

Vegeta laughed breathily. "I have time."

_ Very well, little soul. _ Again he heard the weary breath.  _ But first I must ask... What brings you out here, in such cold weather and heart? _

Vegeta slowly curled into himself, his eyes meeting the ground. 

_ "Why are you being so damn disrespectful!? Gods! I've done everything for you! I gave up everything for you! I have sacrificed my life, my reputation, everything! For you!" _

_ "I'm not a fucking slave! I hadn't realized that being your lover meant being your mother. You ask me why I'm being disrespectful? Let me remind you that I am your Prince! You should be answering to my beck and call!" _

_ "I- Vegeta, why are we even fighting about this? Heh, we're just being silly now-" _

_ "There you go again! Brushing it off every fucking time!!! No, I'm done! Maybe when you can learn boundaries and respect, I can think again. But right now, I'm sick of you and your shit!" _

...  _ I see. _

Vegeta looked up. "I... spoke harshly. And thoughtlessly."

_ Sometimes night air is the best remedy for a hot temper. At least now you have your head.  _ The soft voice fell quiet.

Vegeta thought for a few moments. "What was that story you were going to tell me?" he asked.

_ Ah. The last time I had such contact with a soul of your nature. Oh, it was many, many years ago. Before mankind set his technology even near my roots. There were those, of course, who wandered these lands, explorers of a kind.  _

_ This soul was not the first I'd seen in my lands. It was a gentle soul, a creature whose heart was filled with love and dreams... It sat here with me for many hours, very nearly where you yourself sit. We spoke of the novel things of its time. I remember... it was chilled by spring rain and had come here seeking shelter. It carried a little- a book, I believe he called it. Although I was a bit nervous at first, for this "book" was made of the flesh of my kind, it promised me no harm. Such a bright soul... young and full of life. _

Vegeta found himself relaxing against the inside of the ancient tree. The voice that echoed just faintly in the dark was so soothing. It made all the negative feelings bottled up in his chest slowly drain away. He could just allow himself to fade somewhat into the cold. The tree groaned slightly in the wind, and he looked up into the darkness. "I'm sorry you've been alone so long," he whispered. "I know the feeling, although I can't even begin to compare to the years."

_ Time is as meaningless to me as death, _ the voice replied gently.  _ The idea of loneliness by itself unites us. Yet you choose it of your own free will. _

Vegeta rested his head against the old wood with a soft breath. "I do love him," he said, knowing somehow of what the tree spoke of. "I just... I'm always so conflicted. One minute I think that, maybe for once, I'm ok. Then the tiniest things set me off. Things that have- no connection at all to my past, but somehow they do." He held his head in his chilly hands, biting back tears that would surely frost on his face. "No one thinks I care, but it's not true. I care too much. I know that I'm probably just exaggerating what happened back then- gods, I probably deserved it-"

_ No _ . The voice had darkened slightly, making the Saiyan look up sharply.  _ No one deserves the pain you've so doggedly struggled through. Just because they don't understand does not mean that it is any less significant. Your soul, so young but so wounded, is just as weathered as mine. It should not be.  _

Vegeta looked back down, hardly caring as the first few tears finally broke away from his eyes. Normally he might have been enraged by these tears, but something about his present company drove all the anger right out of him before it could even grow. 

_ Do not resent emotion, little soul. Not all tears are an evil thing. Water from the heart cleanses and heals, but it is most effective on the wounds and scars that we hide the deepest, on those injuries we dare not let the sun see.  _

Vegeta nodded in understanding. He leaned heavily against the old tree, seeking the feeling that it radiated from its very core. The feeling that he'd craved his entire life. The feeling that he needed now more than ever. The feeling he only just found the name of. "You must have some years of life left ahead of you," he whispered, wiping his face. "... I can't let you go without some kind of name."

_ A name? _ the tree rumbled softly.  _ What name do you think befits one of my kind? _

"The name of what I've been searching for all these years," Vegeta breathed, almost welcoming the new tears. "I want to name you Peace."

_ Oh, little one... I accept your name with a humble heart, and a prayer that, in some way, I may have aided you in your search. Go now, and seek out that which gives you peace of mind, body, and soul. _

Vegeta nodded and stood, slipping out into the cold air once more. He rested a hand and his forehead to the tree's age-roughened bark. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you."

_ And I thank you, little soul, _ Peace replied.  _ It has been a long time since I enjoyed such company. _

Vegeta reluctantly turned and began the slow walk back to his home. The whole world was black, and grey, and white. The bitter light of the moon was softened by the snow that quieted his footsteps. He'd never seen silence like this. It was so unlike the dead silence of space. This was a quiet that represented the simple sleep of life in winter. Nature's breath was as frozen as the little stream that he carefully stepped over, but with the turn of the seasons, she would breathe once more.

He blinked in surprise when a tiny pile of snow fell from a high branch nearly into his hair. He smiled and gently brushed it away.

"Vegeta!"

He looked up. Goku ran toward him, seemingly as fast as he could. The younger Saiyan leapt forward and caught Vegeta tight in his arms. "Kakarrot? What-?"

"I've been waiting for you to come back this whole time!" Goku cried. "I was really scared because it's so cold out here, and you left without taking anything warm. I tried to follow you to say I was sorry, but you were hiding your ki and- and there was nothing I could do and-"

"No, no, I'm sorry," Vegeta cut in, taking his lover's face in both cold hands. "I started the argument meaninglessly. I shouldn't have said what I did. I was frustrated at myself; I shouldn't have taken it out on you." He hugged Goku close, relaxing into his warmth.

"Gods, you're so cold," Goku said. To Vegeta's surprise, he was lifted up into Goku's strong arms and carried back toward the house. "We need to get you inside before you get hypothermia or something."

Vegeta looked back toward the woods. Somewhere- he'd be damned if he remembered now- rested an ancient oak that had miraculously offered him his peace. Somewhere- lost and dreaming in time- slept an eternal being that soaked in the sun's warm love and the moon's cool wisdom. And now, somewhere in his heart, lay that newly awakened peace.


End file.
